73 Questions With A UPenn PROFESSOR | Associate Director of Undergrad Mathematics

 

West Point accuses more than 70 cadets of cheating in worst academic scandal in nearly 45 years [USA TODAY]

 The flava:

More than 70 cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point were accused of cheating on a math exam, the worst academic scandal since the 1970s at the Army's premier training ground for officers.

Fifty-eight cadets admitted cheating on the exam, which was administered remotely because of the
COVID-19 pandemic. Most of them have been enrolled in a rehabilitation program and will be on probation for the remainder of their time at the academy. Others resigned, and some face hearings that could result in their expulsion.

The scandal strikes at the heart of the academy's reputation for rectitude, espoused by its own moral code, which is literally etched in stone: 

“A cadet will not lie, cheat, steal, or tolerate those who do.”

Tim Bakken, a law professor at West Point, called the scandal a national security issue. West Point cadets become senior leaders the nation depends on.

The article:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2020/12/21/west-point-catches-70-cadets-worst-cheating-scandal-50-years/5856130002/

Should Ivy League Schools Randomly Select Students (At Least for a Little While)?

College admissions have favored the well-off for ages, and the pandemic has only made things worse. Now is now the time to change the process.

By Ginia Bellafante

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/18/nyregion/ivy-league-admissions-lottery.html

‘Like He Was Disappeared’: UM Faculty Fear Retaliation After Ombudsman Put On Leave [Mississippi Free Press]

 The flava:

The University of Mississippi has placed its ombudsman, Paul J. Caffera, on administrative leave and is seeking a temporary replacement after he sued to stop the university from compelling him to share confidential information about faculty, staff and graduate students who have privately confided to his office about issues on campus. 

University officials hoped Caffera would help the UM Equal Opportunity & Regulatory Compliance office, which oversees Title IX enforcement issues, in its efforts to identify whistleblowers who exposed issues of racism and sexism in the school’s relationships with wealthy donors. 

“The University asked Mr. Caffera to divulge confidential information, and threatened (him) with adverse employment action for failure to do so,” his attorney, Goodloe Lewis, said in a statement to the Mississippi Free Press late Tuesday evening. “Notably, the EO/RC investigation advised Mr. Caffera that it may refer matters to the University Police Department for criminal prosecution.”

The 2015 University of Mississippi Office of Ombuds charter bars the officeholder from revealing details about visitors to his office or participating in formal investigations. Lewis pointed to another section of the charter, which says “the Ombudsperson shall be protected from retaliation as a result of his/her role.”

“Nonetheless, he was placed on administrative leave after filing a lawsuit seeking to protect the confidentiality of persons using his office,” Lewis said yesterday.

The article:

https://www.mississippifreepress.org/7531/like-he-was-disappeared-um-faculty-fear-retaliation-after-ombudsman-put-on-leave/

PBS turns 50 [CBS Sunday Morning]

 

Professor Discusses Why She's Calling In Call Out Culture [Morning Joe, MSNBC]

 

Noam Chomsky at Harvard Law School

 

Big Hungry

How do you prevent cheating in online/distance/remote/Zoom classes?  What's the best way to prevent the cheating (which research indicated, even before the pandemic, that 98% of college students engaged in at least sometimes)?  Or do you just blissfully let yourself believe that there is no cheating going on?  Or do you accept that lots of cheating happens, but simply justify tolerating it because the administrators themselves haven't seemed to care or equip you to deal with it?

brain drain [submitted by Southern Bubba, Ph. D.]

This historic drop in the number of international students coming to the United States will be devastating if it continues--not most especially because of the billions of dollars in lost tuition/room/board revenue,
but because of the brain drain.  The culture drain.  The creativity drain. The entrepreneurship drain. Fuck, this is a nightmare.  Whether it's because of Trump or because of the pandemic or because of something else, it hurts.  Bad.  This is embarrassing and painful for grad schools and for community colleges and all of higher education.  Fuck this.  Is there a way this will not harm the United States?  Even the hairstylist who operates under the radar from her doublewide on the outskirts of some small town in Alabama will be harmed by this (although she might not yet know it).

--Southern Bubba, Ph.D.

A funny for you, from Bella

 

Hello.  Saw this and thought of us.

I'm working on a post.  Things are much better with my male spawn,  and it looks like the evil one won't win a second term.  So in many ways things are looking up!

Much love to all from Bella